Car-coupling



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Bhet 1.,

B. E. SMITH.

GAR GOUPLING.

No. 576,283. Patented Feb. 2,1897.

2 t B e h S S t e e h S 2 H T I M S R B q d o M o w GAR COUPLING.

2 Patented Feb. 2, 1897.

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UNITE STATES PATENT ()FFICE.

BALLARD B. SMITH, OF RUSI-I RUN, WEST VIRGINIA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 576,233, dated February2, 1897.

Application filed Tune 80, 1896.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, BALLARD B. SMITH, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Rush Run, in the county of Fayette and State ofWest Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Oouplings; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear,and exact description of the invention, such as will enable othersskilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters ofreference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved automaticcancoupling of the hookand-link type, which is more especially adaptedfor use in connection with mining-ears, the hook and link being soconstructed and connected to their respective draw-bar that they will bemaintained in a normally hori zontal position and will be capable of anupward swinging movement, the link being arran ged to projecthorizontally from the drawbar, while the hook is so shaped that aportion of the same will be positioned below the level of the link inorder that when the cars come together the link will be lifted to befree to move over the end of the hook.

My invention consists in providing a car with a continuous draw-bar, toone end of which is connected the hook and to the other end the link,said draw-bar being bolted to the floor and transverse beams of the car.

The invention further consists in the construction and arrangement ofthe bumpers, between which the coupling device is located, said bumpersbeing practically a continuation of the fioor of the car.

The invention further consists in the construction and combination ofthe parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Figure1 is a plan view of the coupling, the hook and link beshown inengagement with each other. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the hook, thelink being shown in section and elevated in dotted lines. Fig. 3 is aplan View of one of the cars. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view.

A designates the car-body, which is provided with bolsters of the usualtype, to which Serial No. 597,634. (No model.)

is secured the floor A, said floor extending beyond the ends of the bodyto present projecting portions to a, serving as bumpers. Upon the flooris located a draw-bar B, which is bolted or otherwise secured to thedoor of the car. upon itself and cut away centrally to present loops oreyes 0 C, the terminal of the drawbar being extended to lie under theends of the floor of the car. It will be noted that the part of thedraw-bar between the eyes 0 provides bearings which serve to maintainthe hook and link in a normally horizontal position, the said hook andlink being constructed for this purpose, as hereinafter described.

D designates the link, which is made up of a single bar of metal bent orformed to present side members and a forward connecting portion, therear ends being bent inward to engage the eyes 0, while the terminalsare bent forwardly between said eyes to provide a secure connection, aswell as to bear upon the part of the draw-bar between the eyes, for thepurpose hereinbefore stated.

E designates the hook, which is also made up of a bar of metal shaped toform the hook proper and the ends bent to engage the eyes 0 and extendforward between the same in a manner similar to the link and for thesame purpose. The hook proper is bent clownward, as shown, so as tolocate the forward part thereof slightly below the plane of the link inits normal position. By this arrangement the link will ride upon theinclined portion of the hook and cause an automatic coupling of the carswhen they come together.

The hook and link can be thrown back out of operative position by simplyswinging the same back against the car-body or crosspiece thereof.

It will be noted that the bumpers extend sufficiently forward so thatwhen the cars come together the hook nor the link will not contact withthe ends of the draw-bar, and when the cars are coupled the usual swingor play will be allowed in rounding a curve, as is provided by theordinary pin-and-chain coupling used upon cars of this character.

Having thus described myinvention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A coupling for mining-cars, comprising Each end of this draw-bar isbent a link and a hook, draw-bars having eyes by which the hook and linkare connected thereto and a bearing-surface between said eyes, the hookand link being provided with portions which extend forward between theeyes of the draw-bar, substantially as shown and for the purpose setforth.

2. In a coupling for mining-cars, the combination, of the continuousdraw-bar the ends of which are bent upon themselves or looped and cutaway cent-rally to present eyes with a bearing-surface between; togetherwith the hook and link-having their ends bent to engage the eyes andtheir terminals extended forward, substantially as shown and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In a coupling for mining-cars, the combination of a continuousdraw-bar having terminal portions bent upon themselves and cut awaycentrally to present eyes 0 O; to-

gether with a link the ends of which engage with the eyes C of thedraw-bar, and a hook similarly connected to the other end of thedraw-bar, substantially as shown and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a mining-oar, the combination, of the continuous draw-bar havingits ends bent as shown, a hook and a link connected to said bent ends;and the floor of the car extended at its ends on each side of thecoupling devices to provide bumpers a a, the said bumpers projectingsufficiently to prevent the hook and link from engaging with the ends ofthe draw-bar when the cars come together.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

BALLARD R. SMITH.

\Vitnesses:

L. N. KEEsEE, J. 0. SMITH.

